How the West Was Lost

AllMusic Review
by Jim Brenholts

In 1993, the Discovery Channel aired a six-hour miniseries documenting the experience of the Native Americans during America's westward expansion. Peter Kater created a three-hour score for How the West Was Lost. He captured 65 minutes of his favorites for the CD. His friend R. Carlos Nakai co-wrote many of the pieces and is one of the featured musicians. This is deep, soulful, and mournful music. Kater and Nakai celebrate nothing. They lament the loss of culture and heritage. This is a unique perspective on a topic that is often glamorized. There have been at least two similar documentaries with equally mournful soundtracks. The West and 500 Nations are comparable CDs.